Sound Opinions Specials

Series produced by Sound Opinions

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One-hour specials from the weekly public radio program hosted by Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot. These are available free to all stations with current PRX memberships, even if they aren't signed up to get the show weekly. Learn how to get the show weekly at prx.org/soundopinions.

Sound Opinions is your one-stop-shop for smart and engaging music criticism and conversation. For over a decade, Greg Kot and Jim DeRogatis were competitors at Chicago’s top daily newspapers. Today Greg Kot is the rock critic at the Chicago Tribune, and Jim writes about music at WBEZ.org and teaches at Columbia College. The two share a passion for music, and nothing gets them — or the listener — more fired-up than arguing, and occasionally agreeing, about rock 'n' roll.

On each episode of Sound Opinions, Jim and Greg keep you up to date on what's going on in popular music. They break down music news and give their reviews of recently released albums from the top of the charts, as well as the indie underground. Jim and Greg also invite their favorite bands and artists to join them for conversation and a live performance. Sound Opinions has featured everyone from the Velvet Underground's John Cale on piano to Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo on electric guitar. Other guests include Somali rapper K'Naan, French pop group Phoenix and the most famous widow in rock, Yoko Ono.

SoundOpinions.org offers listeners free podcasts, live MP3 streams, and bonus content including footnotes, live songs and video.

Sound Opinions is produced by WBEZ Chicago, home to This American Life and Wait Wait...Don’t Tell Me!, and is distributed nationally by PRX. Sound Opinions can be heard on stations across the country and online at SoundOpinions.org. Hide full description

Sound Opinions is your one-stop-shop for smart and engaging music criticism and conversation. For over a decade, Greg Kot and Jim DeRogatis were competitors at Chicago’s top daily newspapers. Today Greg Kot is the rock critic at the Chicago Tribune, and Jim writes about music at WBEZ.org and teaches at Columbia College. The two share a passion for music, and nothing gets them — or the listener — more fired-up than arguing, and occasionally agreeing, about rock 'n' roll.On each episode of Sound Opinions, Jim and Greg keep you up to date on what's going on in popular music. They break down music news and give their reviews of recently released albums from the top of the charts, as well as the indie underground. Jim and Greg also invite their favorite bands and artists to join them for... Show full description


36 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
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In this FREE, EVERGREEN one-hour program, Sound Opinions celebrates one of the most significant years in rock and roll. 1967 was the year that the ...

Bought by WRGY, WCQS, WVPE, KRCU Public Radio, KUAF Public Radio and more


  • Added: Apr 06, 2012
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 63
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In this FREE, EVERGREEN one-hour program, Sound Opinions celebrates one of the most significant years in rock and roll history. 1977’s punk explosi...

Bought by WCAI / WNAN Cape & Islands, Mass., Prairie Public, WXPR, WDET Detroit Public Radio, WDET Detroit Public Radio and more


  • Added: Oct 12, 2012
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 25
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In this FREE, EVERGREEN one-hour program, Sound Opinions explores Bob Dylan's life and music.

Bought by WCAI / WNAN Cape & Islands, Mass., KRCB 104.9, KMUW, WXPR, KHNS and more


  • Added: Sep 21, 2011
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 79
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In this FREE one-hour program, Sound Opinions hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot are joined by avid music collector Andy Cirzan for the annual Holida...

Bought by Prairie Public, WEMU, WVPE, WYAP, KUAF Public Radio and more


  • Added: Dec 06, 2012
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 41
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This is a 5-minute segment on Johnny Cash's "At Folsom Prison" album.

Bought by WRIR, KUFM - Montana Public Radio, WHQR, and KUOW


  • Added: Jun 04, 2013
  • Length: 05:00
  • Purchases: 4
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This is a 5-minute segment on the Beat generation's influence on rock.

Bought by WHQR and KUOW


  • Added: Jul 17, 2013
  • Length: 05:00
  • Purchases: 2
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In this FREE one-hour program, Sound Opinions hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot are joined by avid music collector Andy Cirzan for the annual Holida...

Bought by RadioStPete Florida, RadioFreePalmer, KSYM, Harford Community Radio, KRPS and more


  • Added: Dec 11, 2013
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 20
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On February 7, 1964, The Beatles took their first steps on U.S. soil, setting Beatlemania into motion. Now 50 years later, Sound Opinions hosts Jim...

Bought by WHQR, KSRQ, WLPR , Georgia Public Broadcasting, WGLT and more


  • Added: Jan 27, 2014
  • Length: 06:25
  • Purchases: 6
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In this calls-driven segment, Sound Opinions hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot ask listeners to chime in on great bands that have disappeared into t...

Bought by WHQR


  • Added: Jan 27, 2014
  • Length: 03:35
  • Purchases: 1
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In this FREE one-hour program, Sound Opinions hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot are joined by avid music collector Andy Cirzan for the annual Holida...

Bought by North Country Public Radio, KOJB 90.1 FM The eagle, WUGA (part of GPB), KDUR, Prairie Public and more


  • Added: Dec 10, 2014
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 26
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Hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot speak with producer Tony Visconti about his career working with chameleonic rock icon David Bowie. Bowie passed a...

Bought by KUFM - Montana Public Radio, WRGY, and XRAY.fm


  • Added: Jan 11, 2016
  • Length: 07:20
  • Purchases: 3
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In this FREE one-hour program, Sound Opinions hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot are joined by avid music collector Andy Cirzan for the annual Holida...

Bought by KDUR, KRPS, WDET Detroit Public Radio, KRPS, RadioFreePalmer and more


  • Added: Dec 10, 2015
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 25
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This is your quintessential hour on rock's famous chameleon David Bowie. Hosts and critics Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot explore Bowie's long career a...

Bought by WXPR, KRDP, WDET Detroit Public Radio, KPIP-LP, KUFM - Montana Public Radio and more


  • Added: Jan 14, 2016
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 32
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Sound Opinions explores the music of the Civil Rights Era. From Bob Dylan to Odetta to the Staples Singers, hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot remark...

Bought by KKRN, WVPE, WXXI Rochester, KBBI Alaska, KETR-FM and more


  • Added: Feb 09, 2016
  • Length: 54:00
  • Purchases: 67
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Sound Opinions hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot are joined by avid music collector Andy Cirzan for the annual Holiday Spectacular featuring seasona...

Bought by KDUR, KSTK, Oregon Public Broadcasting, KRCB 104.9, KSRQ and more


  • Added: Dec 14, 2016
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 17
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If you're a music fanatic, the end of the year means one thing: best of lists! Sound Opinions hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot reveal their favorit...

Bought by Radio Catskill, KVSC, WHCP-LP Cambridge, WRGY, Prairie Public and more


  • Added: Dec 12, 2016
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 30
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Chuck Berry, one of the architects of rock ‘n’ roll, died on March 18, 2017 at age 90. Hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot reflect on the life, music,...

Bought by KMUW, WXPR, WNMU-FM, KUFM - Montana Public Radio, KMUN and more


  • Added: Mar 24, 2017
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 9
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Tom Petty was a master of the perfect three-chord pop song and an icon of American music. Sound Opinions hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot pay tribu...

Bought by WCAI / WNAN Cape & Islands, Mass., WDET Detroit Public Radio, Louisville Public Media, WYSO, WGZS and more


  • Added: Oct 06, 2017
  • Length: 54:00
  • Purchases: 16
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2017 has been full of highly anticipated releases and unexpected gems from relatively unknown artists. This week, hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot ...

Bought by Radio Catskill, KDUR, KUER, WUGA (part of GPB), KVNF and more


  • Added: Nov 30, 2017
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 7
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Sound Opinions hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot are joined by avid music collector Andy Cirzan for the annual Holiday Spectacular featuring seasona...

Bought by KUPR low power FM and WUGA (part of GPB)


  • Added: Dec 15, 2017
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 2